"Was this a good wicket? Was it a fair contest between bat and ball? No," Smith told BBC Radio Northampton.

"This should have been a showcase Division Two game between the top two teams and it was not allowed to be."

Analysis

BBC Radio Northampton's Chris Egerton at Old Trafford

David Smith's comments on the Old Trafford pitch have livened things up off the field while his players battle on against the odds. The Northants chief executive told BBC Radio Northampton "the pitch looked underprepared and the scorecard supports this view". But ECB pitch inspector Jack Birkenshaw has confirmed he will take no action over the pitch, saying consistent bowling and poor batting has contributed to the state of the match, which could well be completed inside two days.